Tag Archive for 'glenn-richardson'

Mr. Speaker–Move Over!

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Wilson
on August 3, 2008
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Since 2005, when the Republicans captured a majority in the Georgia House and elected the first Republican Speaker in 130 years, Glenn Richardson has been more concerned with promoting Glenn Richardson, than working for the people of Georgia. His Late, Great Tax Plan in 2008 is a prime example. A dumb idea promoted for his personal gain, i.e., his anticipated run for Governor in 2010.

As speaker, he is a little dictator, punishing anyone who dares defy his commands. He wants to be something he is not, and hopefully never will be: Governor. He loves to pick fights and promote gridlock with Casey Cagle and the Georgia Senate. He is inaccessible, arrogant, sleazy and the number 1 soldier in the Chamber of Commerce’s war on justice in Georgia. But lets not dwell on Glenn’s good points!

Many people, me and hopefully some legislators, are tired of buffoonery orchestrating ever increasing animosity in the Georgia legislature. Fratricide is not pretty or productive, even when it is primarily within the Republican Party. Enter, horse and rider.

David Ralston (R-7, Blue Ridge) is an attorney and Chairman of the House Judiciary - Non-Civil Committee. David recently announced his intention to seek the position of Speaker of the House when the Republicans caucus in November. In doing so, he is literally putting everything on the line, including his chairmanship, because Glenn is known for his passion for vengence and retribution. And thank goodness for Glenn’s passion. It’s the one thing that insures his ultimate failure!

David wants to bring civility back to the Georgia Legislature. In these times of budget shortfalls, working together is going to be more important in 2009 than ever before. Listen to the interview and see if David Ralston sounds like the kind of guy you want running the Georgia House. If he is, call your representative and tell him to support David. Without hearing from you, your representative might be too chicken to buck Glenn.

That appears to be the case with Toombs County’s representative, Greg Morris, a Democrat who switched to Republican “after” being elected as a Democrat. I hate to talk bad about Greg, but he’s just the kind of guy Glenn Richardson loves to say “boo” to.

 
 David Ralston, Representative, District [28:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (202)

Drifting With the Grift After the Primaries!

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Wilson
on July 23, 2008
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There are times when there are just not enough hours in a day. This is one of those days or weeks or months or years, but I just had to do whatever it took to get this interview with James Williams (alias GriftDrift) posted. You will just have to listen to it to appreciate two country boys shooting the breeze about the state of politics after the primaries. From the Senate race and the Democratic runoff between Jones and Martin, to Rep. David Ralston’s announcement that he plans to challenge the Dark Knight for his position as Speaker of the House, we drift into the national scene with Obamaitis and end up casting our lot with T. Boone Pickens’ energy plan which is only 30 years late. If you could make as much money speculating about politics as oil, James and I could buy the Middle East and give the oil away.

Thanks James.

 
 James Williams, GriftDrift Blogger [28:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (208)

There’s A Bully in the House!

Published
by
Wilson
on February 5, 2008
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Way too much of this interview dwelt on that insignificantly small person that parades as Speaker of the Georgia House, Glenn What’s His Name. Jason Pye describes the recent vengance wreaked by the Speaker on those members of the House who dared to vote against his choice for DOT Commissioner from the 9th District. Banished and stripped of power, the Speaker certainly knows how influence people. I am not sure about winning friends. Arrogance and pettiness are his trademarks. Bullying is his tactic. I applaud his perverse sense of leadership solely because I am sure it will ultimately seal his fate. It is only a matter of time.

If Richardson were a child he would have been disciplined (somewhere between spanking and beating) months, if not years, ago. He might even have done a tour in “juvy” for attitude correction. But, apparently the other Republican members of the House enjoy being abused, harrassed, threatened and deprived of any claim to manhood–if you know what I mean. Too bad there isn’t one leader among them with the balls to stand up to a brat.

What really gets me is the possibility that all this strutting and strong-arming is somehow a prelude to a gubernatorial campaign in 2010. (Good Lord, will it be that long before Sonny leaves!) Pick up a mirror Glenn, and kiss your political future goodbye. Tick, tick, tick……

We mention briefly the quick approval of the Water Plan. Jason doesn’t appear to be overly concerned about the ultimate implementation of this plan. His reasoning: it can always be changed, if need be. (They said the same thing about the Constitution!) I still have a lot of friends who think the Water Plan is nothing more than a plan for Atlanta to get more water and the rest of the state, less water. The total lack of debate over it still makes me think that politics is at work behind the scenes on this one. We will just have to wait a decade or so and see how it goes.

The credit freeze bill and the gun at work bill passed the House.

Jason finally convinces me that talking about mass public transportation in Atlanta is nothing more than misplaced nostalgia for what could have been. Let’s face it, Atlanta is going to be concrete gridlock forever. There is no hope to improve, much less eliminate the problem. The leadership that was needed came and went 40 yers ago. Until we have personal transport vehicles that fly, Atlantans will continue to fight traffic and hate it. Move south!

In a parting comment about voting on Super Tuesday, Jason gives a plea: Don’t vote for Huckabee! Jason characterizes Huckabee as a tax and spend liberal from Arkansas. Huckabee scares me because he confuses religion and government, something Jesus never did. Alas, our comments were to no avail. Georgians, at least the Republican part of the state, continue to prove that we have no idea what the Constitution of the United States says or what it means.

Jason keeps up the legislature in Georgia Legislative Watch. You should, too.

 
 Jason Pye, Blogger, Political Commentator [27:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (458)

Casey Cagle on Property Tax Reform and the Water Plan

Published
by
Wilson
on October 4, 2007
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In this interview earlier today, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle provides his thoughts about the upcoming efforts in the 2008 legislature to eliminate the property tax and develop a water plan. These are important issues and you really need to listen to what he has to say.

My take on it is this: I think the Lt. Gov. has reservations about totally eliminating the property tax as a source of revenue, although I get the feeling he would consider some reform in property taxation. I think he promised me that any significant overhaul of the tax base was not going to be rammed down our throats, but I still don’t trust the Georgia House.

For more on the property tax issue, you need to visit the recent interview with Alan Essig of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.

As for water, Casey puts a lot more credibility in the Water Plan proposed by the Water Council/EPD than I do, even though he was quick to note that it will not have the force of a rule or regulation or law. It’s just a plan, man! I get the feeling he is in favor of more reservoirs to provide water for thirsty North Georgia and metro Atlanta, but notes they are expensive. What isn’t? He seems to be against taking water from one part of Georgia and giving it to another, which is a good thing to be against.

I am still concerned about that deadline in the law that gives the legislature only 20 legislative days to come up with an alternative plan if they don’t like the EPD one.

 
 Casey Cagle, Lt. Governor [26:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (278)

Alan Essig on the Speaker’s Property Tax Reform Proposal

Published
by
Wilson
on October 2, 2007
in Podcast
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Alan Essig of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute is my go to guy when I want to try to get to the bottom of something that involves taxes or budgets. In this interveiw Alan comments on Speaker Glenn Richardson’s proposal to eliminate the property tax.

The curious thing is that there is no substance to the proposal, it’s just all talk–at least right now–and that is what bothers me. You would think that when it came to something this important, there would be an effort to give everyone enough time and information to make a reasonable decision. Alan said he would like no less than 3 to 6 months to study any proposal and run the numbers. My bet: he won’t get that much time and neither will anyone else, including those guys we elected to represent us.

Alan says that every state in the union has a property tax. For Georgia to think it can become the first to eliminate it in one fell swoop, seems irresponsible to me. Alan mentions the fact that a few years ago one of those northern states, Michigan, I think, enacted sweeping rollbacks in property taxation and almost went bankrupt when there was a blimp in the economy.

Also, the State levies only a small property tax, like .5 mil. The majority of the property tax is levied and controlled by local cities, counties and school boards. It is where they get their operating budgets, their power. Eliminating property taxes is going to eliminate a lot of local power. Now why would a state legislator, even one serving as Speaker, be in such a hurry to eliminate the foundations of local power and transfer that power to the State, particularly the leaders thereof? I understand all the local governments and their organizations, like GMA, oppose the Speaker’s plan.

The real question is where is the additional money going to come from? Property taxes account for about 8 to 10 billion in tax collections. So where are you going to get that kind of money? As I understand it, the Speaker initially proposed to just eliminate all (or most) exemptions to the sales tax. According to Alan, two of those exemptions need to be kept: (1) governmental purchases, and (2) business to business purchases. And these two exemptions account for $5 billion in exemptions. The point: if you keep just these two exemptions in place, there is no way the sales tax can make up the tax revenue lost by the elimination of the property tax.

Now if I were planning a budget, I would conclude game over, you can’t eliminate property taxes and make up the difference in sales taxes. But there he is, Speaker Richardson, going around the state pumping up the landed gentry and making this sound like it is a walk in the park–a tax exempt park, no doubt.

There is only one thing to be accomplished by the elimination of property taxes. Rich folk that own a lot (and I mean a lot) of property will get a tax break. The rest of us that don’t own tons of rental property or commercial property or anything much more than our homes, that just work at a job everyday for a living, that have kids and buy everything on the shelves, will pay more in taxes–sales taxes.

Let me predict the future. The Speaker (more likely, someone else at his direction) will drop the bill to eliminate the property tax a week or so before the 2008 legislature begins. The Speaker will flex his muscles, threaten a few recalcitrants, and ultimately his power will make sure the proposal (whatever it is) sails thru the House with little or no hearings and none worth a damn. Then, it’s over to the Senate where the question will be whether or not Lt. Governor Casey Cagle (or some other Republican leader with the guts to “just say no”) is man enough to tell the Speaker to go back to the country club and kill this kind of cram it down your throat leglislative initiative. You have my vote Casey!

Think I am nuts! Look down the road to the 2010 gubernatorial elections. Will it be the Speaker who single handledly eliminated the property tax and saved 500 Georgians a ton of money versus the Lt. Gov. who protected Georgians from the selfish impulses of power and kept the property tax in place?

 
 Alan Essig, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute [29:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (257)